Writing Activities for Kids: Outdoor Writing Center
We are back for Fine Motor Fridays! This week we did some fun writing activities for kids on our super easy outdoor writing center! (This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.)
The other night LalyDad and I were talking about how Miss Three (almost four!) has been showing interest in reading and writing more lately. I wanted to come up with some fun ways to work on that with her this summer and I remembered something I saw in the book Ready for Kindergarten by Deborah Stewart (Teach Preschool). She talked about setting up a writing center to encourage your child to explore different aspects of writing and reading.
We don't have a designated space for this inside yet because Mister One likes to eat writing tools right now. We use crayons and markers, paint and chalk a lot but I don't have it all sitting out for use at any time.
Instead I thought it would be fun to make an outdoor writing center for the kids since Mister One is only out in the back yard when I am there to watch him anyhow!
Easy Outdoor Writing Center
Here are some basic materials to put together to make your own outdoor writing center:
Easel
We have a basic, inexpensice double sided Ikea easel, so that is what we used but I bet this super cool Inflatable Crayola Easel would really get the kids' attention! Another nice option is this foldable Step 2 Easel for Two, which has a magnetic surface and a white board as well as foam letters included!
Writing Tools
Chalk is the first thing that probably comes to mind but you can mix up the chalk sizes and shapes so your child has a variety of options. Alex has a fun set of multicolored sidewalk chalk, these fun egg shaped chalk shapes give a whole different writing experience. Or try your hand at making your own sidewalk chalk! These heart shaped sidewalk chalks are sooo pretty! Reading Confetti has lots of ways to make Ice Chalk, how cool!
Chalk isn't the only thing to use though, set out a cup of water and paintbrushes. Also if your easel has a white board, dry erase markers would be great too.
Fun Accessories
In her book, Deborah talked about adding stickers and other fun things to add variety. I didn't want to use actual stickers on our chalk board but I found that just like in the bath tub, we could use our foam bath letters, numbers and learning cards pack to stick on the chalkboard! These make perfect accessories for your outdoor writing center!
Squirt guns, water pump squirters or even a firefighter water pack pack might be a fun addition to play letter or site word squirt games!
Outdoor Writing Activities for Kids
Once your writing center is set up, obviously your child can explore, write, color and draw freely. If you'd like some ideas for writing activities and site words activities, try these:
-Writing letters and words with chalk
-Using a wet paintbrush to draw letters and words on the chalkboard
-Using a wet paintbrush to trace and erase letters that you have written on the chalkboard
-Write words on the chalkboard in chalk and have your child match them with the foam letters
-Stick a foam flash card to the chalkboard and invite your child to copy the word using chalk, wet paintbrush or foam letters
-Ask your child to make up a story using the foam flash cards
-Stick foam letters on the chalk board (alone or in words) and have your child blast them off using a squirt gun, water pump squirter or the firefighter back pack!
I'd love to hear your ideas! What would you add?
Fine Motor Fridays
We are back together with our regular Friday Crew to bring you playful Fine Motor Skills Activities. Click through to see what the other bloggers have been up to this week! And be sure to follow along on our Fine Motor Fridays Board!
Puffy Paint Cake Decorating from Still Playing School
Creative Construction: Styrofoam and Pipe Cleaners from Craftulate
Simple Weaving Felt Page from Powerful Mothering
Lego Sensory Bin For Math And Fine Motor Skills from Little Bins For Little Hands
Fine Motor Name Game from House of Burke
Fine Motor Light Table Play from And Next Comes L
GOT PRESCHOOLERS?! If you enjoy trying simple, playful activities with your preschooler, I invite you to check out a lovely collaborative eBook that I contributed to. Three to Five: Playful Preschool is chock full of approachable activities, step-by-step tutorials and inspiring photographs from some of the top kids bloggers from around the world! There is an subject-based index that helps you select the perfect activity based and many of the activities are perfect for multiple siblings of different ages to do together! Learn more here!
I want to take every activity outside now that the weather is nice! Great ideas!
This is awesome!! You’ve inspired me to put together a writing center!
Jealous that yours is magnetic! Little Sis was water painting her letters on chalk earlier this week to make them disappear! She loved such a simple activity!
Love the idea of having this outside – and great that she loves learning to write so much!
I love the idea of sticking the foam to the chalkboard – and just by bringing it outside it adds a fun novelty factor!
This is so much fun! my loves doodling, writing on the pavement and I have this same easel! Will try this when the rain would stop. Thanks #OutdoorPlay
This is such a lovely way to take literacy outdoors and I love the way it gives kids the freedom to explore writing in their own ways. Thanks so much for sharing at the Outdoor Play Party 🙂
I am featuring this post on the Sunday Showcase!
I have always loved the idea of taking writing activities outdoors for a new perspective. Here is a video of taking handwriting practice outdoors http://yourtherapysource.com/videohwoutdoors.html.